Ghosts on Samhain
by HarisaEnaja
Summary: Merlin finds a spell that will let him raise the dead- but only on a certain night. Merlin/Freya


**A/N- fanfiction (i.e- I'm playing with other people kids) **

* * *

It was in the very back of his spell book, on the very last page. Merlin stared at it for a good twenty minutes, completely ignoring the fact that he had to get up and wake Arthur in a couple hours. His mind just wouldn't let go of the possibilities.

"Must be cast on Samhain." He muttered the words to himself as he read. That was little over a month away! If he really worked at it, He might be able to master the spell by then.

He didn't tell Gaius. He didn't think the old physician would approve much. So instead he practiced in secret. Each time he went over the spell and practiced it in his mind he tried not to get his hopes up. For the spell to actually work was far too much to hope for, especially with his luck. He replaced his nervousness with planning, making sure all of his bases were covered.

The morning before Merlin told Gaius that he was going to be out late tonight, talking to Killigrrah, and he got one of the other servants to agree to wake Arthur in the morning in case he wasn't back in time.

He packed everything he could think of needed for the simple one night trip into his backpack and made his way out of Camelot. However, before he left the city he made one last stop at a fruit merchants stall, daring himself to hope a little.

When he got to the lake the sun was just setting over the mountains and the fiery orange light danced off the water. It was the perfect time the book said to cast the spell. Steadying himself for disappointment, he took a deep breath and whispered the ancient words while pointing at the water.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the water where he was pointing began to glow from underneath and he could feel his magic surging out of him. Finally the spell took and Merlin collapsed onto the bank. His eyes never left the glowing water.

After what seemed like forever, her head emerged from the depth. She was still wearing the dress he had given her in Camelot, and the wet fabric clung to her figure as she gracefully walked out of the water.

Merlin scrambled down the bank and almost tripped at the water's edge in his eagerness to get to her. He stopped suddenly about a foot away from her, suddenly terrified. What if something had gone wrong? What if that wasn't her? What if he'd just summoned her as a wraith? He could never forgive himself if that was the case.

Both up to their knees in water, they stared at each other until a heartbreaking smile lit up her face.

"Merlin" she whispered, eyes full of love and adoration, and reached up to touch his cheek. Merlin broke. It had to be her, she was just as he remembered her. The only difference was that she was maybe even more beautiful now than she had been.

"Freya" He choked, not even embarrass at the lump in his throat. Tears blurred his eyes and he put his hand over hers, pressing it into his face.

At the sound of her name, Freya lost all manner of grace and hurled herself at Merlin, wrapping her arms around him. The both went tumbling into the water and she ended up sprawled on top of him. The both laughed with a strange giddiness that comes from being totally overwhelmed.

When Freya finally pulled back and allowed Merlin to sit up, their eyes met. So much was communicated in that look. Longing, loss, love, pure happiness, and even worry. Without thinking, Merlin leaned forward and met her lips with his. And she kissed him back.

It was the happiest moment of his life.

* * *

Sometime later they had both left the water and were sitting in the woods nearby around a small fire Merlin had made. They were both curled up under a blanket he had brought and his arms were wrapped around her shoulders, hugging her close to him. He breathed in the smell of her hair and planted a tender kiss on her forehead, enjoying the utter bliss of her presence.

"How long do we have?" she asked softly. He closed his eyes sadly, as if trying to combat the fact that their time would end by not seeing it.

"Till sunrise." He murmured into her hair.

"Then let's make the most of it." She responded with a mischievous grin and cupped his face, brining it down to meet hers. They shared a deep kiss that was rudely interrupted by Freya's stomach growling.

She looked embarrassed, but Merlin just laughed and untangled himself from her to reach into his pack.

"How does that make sense?" She grumbled, slightly annoyed. "I'm a ghost, how can I hungry?"

"Wait, I have a surprise for you!" Merlin told her, his eyes lit up in excitement. Freya had always thought Merlin was adorable, and seeing him again did nothing but strengthen that thought.

Her eyes flew open wide and a gin decorated her face as she saw what was in the small basket in his bag.

"Strawberries!" She laughed, taking one and immediately taking a bite. Merlin laughed joyfully himself at her reaction. She held one out in the air in front of his mouth and he leaned in to take a bite.

It felt like the most natural thing in the world, being with Freya. They talked for hours and merlin used his magic to conjure up images of Arthur and the knights as he told her his stories. Freya of course had been watching him from the land of the dead, and already knew everything he was telling her. But she never wanted to stop listening to his stories.

Merlin fell silent when he saw the first rays of the sun poking out from behind the trees. His heart dropped. It couldn't be morning already, could it? He felt as though they had just got there.

"I'll come back next year." He promised her. "One year, will you be here?"

"Merlin," Freya said, grabbing his arm and clinging to it. "I would wait ten thousand years if it meant we got to have another night like tonight. But you have to promise me you'll be here? That you'll make it through another year unharmed in order to be here waiting for me?"

"I promise" He vowed, placing their foreheads together and hopping to god he could keep it. "I love you." He whispered, and the tears started to fall again as she slowly started to fade out of existence until there was nothing left.

Still, as Merlin was left alone in the early morning, he could still hear her whispered response in the wind.

"I love you too.


End file.
